New mid-level PC chips at CES seen as game changers

January 7th, 2011

The PC already dominates high-end gaming graphics. Thanks to new integrated CPU/GPU chipsets shown at CES this week, the platform is now vying for more "mid-level" pie. 

Specifically, new chips from AMD and Intel, dubbed respectively Fusion and Sandy Bridge, are capable of 1080p and perform at roughly 50 percent of the latest stand alone graphics cards. Much like the call for TV friendly gaming PCs, PC gaming giant Valve called the new chips a game changer. They allow a "console-like experience on the PC," said Valve founder Gabe Newell. 

Of course, one can already purchase older graphics cards with console-like specs. And PC didn't get to where it is today by trying to be a console. But I see the news as a good thing; it represents more choice for the platform. High-end PCs exist. Dated PCs capable of playing Flash and Facebook games exist. And now a new line of mid-range PC gaming rigs exist, which could introduce more solidarity to hardware requirements. 

Added Newell at CES this week, "I'm tremendously excited about the future of PC gaming. We see [the PC] as the center of innovation of everything that's going on [in gaming], whether it's microtransactions, MMOs, free-to-play, or something like CityVille which – after its first month – has 84 million people playing." 

What do you think of this emphasis on mid-range graphics cards? Think its a good thing for PC gaming? 

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